God of salt and starting lines

hear me

You whose war-drums sound through our soles

rhythmless on rubber

a thousand thousand beats from the gun

Watch over me

your steel cords through my ankles and knees,

your great fist around my heart

your smell

of black powder in my lungs

 

You whose lungs are uncut by cold

though we exhale

like locomotives, grant my thousand prayers

May my

shoes stay tied my gut settled needling in my calf

be nothing

Keep the salt from my eyes take my salt

as sacrifice

don't let my ragged breaths tear my lungs

but let the girls

with the rolled up shorts see you in me

your long stride

your lean around the curves, muscles pressing

against skin